"Ponyo" Talkback (Spoilers)

[Angilasman]

I'll be seeing it in a few hours, and I'd just like to say I hope that that poster will be the DVD cover. It has a gorgeous simplicity to it.

[DonkeyKongSong]

Welcome To A World Where Anything Is Possible.

Release Date: August 14, 2009
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Studio Ghibli
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin, and Betty White

Plot Summary: The son of a sailor, 5-year old Sosuke (Frankie Jonas) lives a quiet life on an oceanside cliff with his mother Lisa (Tina Fey). One fateful day, he finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle on the beach and upon rescuing her, names her Ponyo (Noah Cyrus). But she is no ordinary goldfish. The daughter of a masterful wizard (Liam Neeson) and a sea goddess (Cate Blanchett?), Ponyo uses her father's magic to transform herself into a young girl and quickly falls in love with Sosuke, but the use of such powerful sorcery causes a dangerous imbalance in the world. As the moon steadily draws nearer to the earth and Ponyo's father sends the ocean's mighty waves to find his daughter, the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to save the world and fulfill Ponyo's dreams of becoming human.

View the official movie site here.

COMMENTS?

Unfortunately, with my grandma over (she's not really into anime and would rather see Julie & Julia, Bandslam, and The Time Traveler's Wife) work for the next few days, and scheduled hangouts (involving G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and District 9, lol), I'll have to wait a bit on it.

[purplehairedwonder]

I merged the posts from the other thread into this one before deleting it, but they ended up before the first post in this thread since they were posted first. Sorry for the confusion

As for the thread topic, I'd like to see this before classes begin in a little over a week, but I'm not sure I'll have time to drive half an hour away with my work/move-in schedule. We shall see.

[YogiBR123]

While I kind of lost faith in Studio Ghibli after seeing Tales of Earthsea, I'll give this film a shot anyway.

[HG Revolution]

Originally Posted by YogiBR123

While I kind of lost faith in Studio Ghibli after seeing Tales of Earthsea, I'll give this film a shot anyway.

But Earthsea was made by an inexperienced director and had a horrible production cycle. Ponyo is actually an apology of sorts to Goro for how much Hayao mistreated him both as a kid and during the production of Earthsea.

Ponyo is amazing, by the way.

[DonkeyKongSong]

Originally Posted by purplehairedwonder

I merged the posts from the other thread into this one before deleting it, but they ended up before the first post in this thread since they were posted first. Sorry for the confusion

I should be the one apologizing. I didn't realize that you can make a poll out of a thread after you post it

[Angilasman]

The dub was fantastic! Did you spot the reference to another English version of a Miyazaki movie?


Not quite as good as Totoro, but still brilliant.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally Posted by YogiBR123

While I kind of lost faith in Studio Ghibli after seeing Tales of Earthsea, I'll give this film a shot anyway.

Yeah, I wouldn't base my opinion of the studio because of that film.

[DonkeyKongSong]

Originally Posted by Leaping Larry Jojo

Yeah, I wouldn't base my opinion of the studio because of that film.

I've never seen Tales of Earthsea, but by far my only Miyazaki/Ghibli disappointment has been Nausicaä (sp?) of the Valley of the Wind.

[MetroSparkster]

I had to choose between a movie about xeno tolerance or lack thereof (Which was District 9) and what looked like a different take on Little Mermaid (Which was Ponyo... maybe comparing that to this movie wasn't a good idea). I chose the latter since they won't show Ponyo where I'm going.

It was a simple, cute, funny movie. And the animation and scenery was great. That's all I need to say.

Did I mention it was funny?

Spoiler:

The small audience I was with all laughed when Sosuke's mom told her husband to bug off during a light signal conversation.

[DonkeyKongSong]

Originally Posted by MetroSparkster

I had to choose between a xenophobic mockumentary and what looked like a Japanese Little Mermaid (maybe comparing that was unneccessary). I chose the latter since they won't show Ponyo where I'm going.

It was a simple, cute, funny movie. And the animation and scenery was great.

Xenophobic mockumentary? What are you talking about? I don't think any of this week's films are like that... are you referring to Brüno? (If so, you may have made the right choice going against it I can't judge b/c I haven't seen Ponyo yet, but as much as I liked Brüno, it is not exactly my top choice for recommendation.)

But that is a fair comparison, I think Ponyo was actually inspired by The Little Mermaid.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally Posted by DonkeyKongSong

I've never seen Tales of Earthsea, but by far my only Miyazaki/Ghibli disappointment has been Nausicaä (sp?) of the Valley of the Wind.

Nausicaa is definitely an uneven film, but there are sequences that really draw me into it. Like when Nausicaa and Asbel fall into that underground place.

I actually pick the fan-favourite Laputa as my least favourite. It plays out like your average Sat-AM action cartoon and many of the elements there are lifted from other, actually better anime series. And after watching Future Boy Conan, I couldn't help but think he did a "better" Laputa in Conan.

[MetroSparkster]

Originally Posted by DonkeyKongSong

Xenophobic mockumentary? What are you talking about? I don't think any of this week's films are like that... are you referring to Brüno?

I was referring to District 9.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally Posted by MetroSparkster

I was referring to District 9.

District 9 is a mockumentary? I thought it was an action film that simply had pretentions of racial commentary.

[DonkeyKongSong]

Originally Posted by MetroSparkster

I was referring to District 9.

Oh... well I actually liked that film, and I do recommend seeing it eventually. I saw District 9 at midnight, but I may not be able to see Ponyo until Wednesday at the latest. (depends on how Monday goes, thought I may see Bandslam then if I have extra time - my sister and father want to see Ponyo too, and I may save it for them).

[Sanosuke]

Originally Posted by Leaping Larry Jojo

I actually pick the fan-favourite Laputa as my least favourite. It plays out like your average Sat-AM action cartoon and many of the elements there are lifted from other, actually better anime series. And after watching Future Boy Conan, I couldn't help but think he did a "better" Laputa in Conan.

Fan favorite? Lolz, which fans have you been conversing with? xD.

Anyway, the only chance I've got to see Ponyo is with a 2-hour drive to Columbia, but the 'rents deem that a damn long drive....I'll be bummed beyond words if I miss this chance. Never seen a Miyazaki film in theatres, and I've been wanting to do so ever since I fell in love with Princess Mononoke.

[JTurner]

Originally Posted by Leaping Larry Jojo

I actually pick the fan-favourite Laputa as my least favourite. It plays out like your average Sat-AM action cartoon and many of the elements there are lifted from other, actually better anime series. And after watching Future Boy Conan, I couldn't help but think he did a "better" Laputa in Conan.

To each their own of course. I consider LAPUTA one of my alltime favorite Miyazaki films; similarly, KIKI, MONONOKE, TOTORO, and NAUSICAA, are my other favorites from him. SPIRITED AWAY, PORCO ROSSO, and HOWL are all some of my least favorites from him, and I unfortunately don't know where PONYO will rank. I'll decide when I see it this weekend.

[NewcomerDC]

Originally Posted by Angilasman

I'd just like to say I hope that that poster will be the DVD cover. It has a gorgeous simplicity to it.

If the cover changes, it wouldn't matter as long as the art's beautiful and we still get the Japanese sub along with the dub.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally Posted by Sanosuke

Fan favorite? Lolz, which fans have you been conversing with? xD.

.

The ones on toonzone?

[garfield15]

Whoa, 95% on RT. That's awesome.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ponyo/

And of course, here's the obligatory "This guy totally did not get the movie at all" review
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-l..._b_259227.html